Camilla 'must become queen'

Last updated at 17:33 21 March 2005

The Government has confirmed that the Prince of Wales's marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles will not be "morganatic", meaning she would automatically become queen when he succeeds to the throne unless legislation is passed.

Constitutional Affairs Minister Christopher Leslie confirmed the status of the marriage in a written Commons reply to Labour backbencher Andrew Mackinlay.

Mr Mackinlay said: "This is absolutely unequivocal that she automatically becomes Queen when he becomes King."

Mrs Parker Bowles will be known as the Duchess of Cornwall after her marriage to Prince Charles. Arguably she is entitled to be called the Princess of Wales but has chosen not to use the title still associated with the much-loved Diana.

When the Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne, Camilla is entitled to be called Queen but has chosen to be called Princess Consort, although she will be called Her Royal Highness and will be the most senior woman in the Royal Family after the Queen.

Government sources have said legislation would be needed to "comply with her wishes not to become queen", but no details have been given.

Legislation

The MP said legislation would be needed in 17 parliaments around the world, where the British monarch is head of state, for the change to be made.

"I'm perfectly happy for the Prince of Wales to marry whoever he likes, but altering the constitution is Parliament's business and this does require an alteration to the constitution.

"It shouldn't be done for one man and one man alone. There are two other things that should be altered - one is the primogeniture rule and the other is the limit on the religious faith of the person who can marry the heir to the throne."

Primogeniture is the process by which the throne passes first down the male line.

"The Government has said that, among other things, the Prince's right to marry is enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights - well, these other two limitations are clearly at odds with it," added Mr Mackinlay.

He said the Government may fear that asking parliaments in countries such as Canada, New Zealand and Australia for special legislation may stir up republican sentiments there.

A spokesman for the Prince said both Clarence House and the Government believed legislation was not required.

"The advice we have been given is that the wife of the King is known as Queen only by convention and not by legal statute," the spokesman said.

"Therefore it is possible for the Duchess of Cornwall to choose to be known as the Princess Consort rather than Queen.

"However, if the Government of the day felt that legislation were required to clarify the matter, then the renewal of the Civil List Act which is required at every accession would provide the opportunity to clarify the legal position."